Member Article

Delivering market quality to Yorkshire residents

Left inconvenienced by Todmorden Markets closing times; David Fisher has had a light-bulb moment in the form of a market delivery service for local residents in West Yorkshire.

The idea is to offer shoppers in Todmorden a delivery service that provides great value and high quality produce at a time which suits the individual.

In a bid to sell a wide variety of products to the local community David, along with website designer Shaun Murray, have constructed an easy-to-follow website which enables residents in Yorkshire to shop online at Todmorden Market and have all produce delivered fresh to their doorstep by David himself. David said: “Our business is the only one of its kind that allows people to order, pay and book a delivery online from their local market.”

The business offers fresh fruit, meat and fish along with household goods including health and beauty products and even alchohol. MarketDelivered is practically a local online Tesco at a fraction of the price offering fresher produce.

Recently adding Kirkgate Market in Leeds to their network of market traders, David urges any stalls that are not yet listed to the website to do so. “We have been going for just over a month in Leeds and it has been a learning curve to say the least. We have so far had around 30 orders and most people that have used us have come back for more.”

Margaret Thompson, 73 of Seaforth Terrace, Leeds said: “I have always bought my groceries at Kirkgate but I find it harder to get out now which is where MarketDelievered has helped me greatly. I no longer have to rely on other people to take me shopping.”

The company’s big aim is to eventually trade with markets all over the county. David said: “We are currently unable to deliver to every area in Yorkshire but are hoping to expand across the region when possible. Local is the most important thing for us. Connecting people back to their local food suppliers is what we aim to do and as for competing with the big named supermarkets, we feel that the product we offer is superior, our delivery charge is less and we offer a chance for people to buy groceries from people that they possibly know and can definitely trust.”

Mostly delivering to an older audience of 35 - 50, David has plenty of other tricks up his sleeve in order to attract new customers. Offering students a weekly box of basic food essentials including bread, cheese, eggs and beans, David hopes to keep fraught parents from worrying about their little darlings.

By choosing MarketDelievered, money is being kept within the local community. Choosing small businesses that pride themselves on their locally sourced produce means you know where your food has come from, as well as keeping food miles down to a minimum.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Rachel Flynn .